Internal-combustion engine.



G. J. ALTHAM. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 28, 1907.

Patented June 21, 1910.

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A G. J. ALTHAM.

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIUAIION FILED MAR. 28, 1907.

Patented June 21, 1910.

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G. J. ALT-HAM. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 28, 1997.

962,110. Patented June21,19 10.

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mit said charge to be the accompanying PATENT OFFICE! GEORGE JOHN ALTHAM, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Application filed March 28, 1907. ,Serial No. 364,980.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon J. ALTHAM, a citizen of'the United States, residin at Fall River, county of Bristol, State 0 l\[assachusetts have invented an Improvementin Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following description, in connection with drawing, is a specification, like numerals on the drawing representing like parts.

This invent-ion relates to internal combustion engines, and especially to engines of the two-cycle type.

usually constructed so that during the 1n?- ward movement 'of the piston a charge of air and gas is'drawn into the crank case, which charge is compressed more or less during the power stroke, and at the end of the power stroke suitable ports are opened to pertransferred to the work- 'ing end of the cylinder. It is rather difficult,

sufliciently large -volume of with this construction to handle a gas at each stroke of the engine toget a good explosive however,

'- mixture at the time of ignition, and it is one of the objects of my invention .to'provide means whereby an increased "volume of gas .and air can be thus handled ateach stroke V of'the engine thereby securing va mu better -explosive mixture and more economy th s t --operation of the enginer hr thep embodiment -of my invention I adcomplish this by making the-crank case of variable i the volume-t the workin end of the cylinder volume and providing means for increasing ereof when the power piston is atjthe outer-end of its stroke and when the inlet ports to the crank case are open whereby'anincreased volume of air and gas. may

be .drawn into the crank case. This mechto reduce the volume of mittin'g the charge from the crank case to without the necessi 0' putting the charge in the crank 'case 1111 er any considerable pressure.

'I will first'describe one embodiment of my invention and then point out the novel features thereof in the-appended claims.

. inthe'drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section on theline a:-m, Fig. 2, showing one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of an engine embodying my invention showing one of the cylinders in section atrig'ht ang seize the section in Fig. 1'; 1 ig.

for both.- Two-cycle internal combustion engines are 3 is a top plan view; Fig. 4 is a section on the line a-a, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the piston at the end of the power stroke; Fig. (3 is a. diagram view.

I have merely for the sake of illustration shown herein a two-cylinder engine, although I wish it understood that my invenbut may be embodied in a single-cylinder engine.

The two cylinders and their ports are alike, and so a description of one will suflice 3 is the cylinder vithin which the piston 4 works as usual. The lower end of the cylinder communicates with the crank case 5 and the piston {1 is shown as connected to the crank shaft 6 by means of the pitman 7. These parts may be of any suitable or usual construction except in the particulars hereon one side with the "i'nletports 8 which communicate by means of'aconnection 9 with a carburflor 1:0 of'a'ny suitable or usual pattern, and thc'inlet ports 8 are controlled by the piston and are so arranged that when the piston is in its extreme upper position, as shown in Fig. 1, said ports are uncovered. The cylinder also has therein airinlet ports 1.1,tw o such ports being shown sorr'i'dzh side of the cylinder which are also controlled by thepist'on, and the piston 4 has therein otherinlet ports 12 which are adapted to register with the air inlet ports 11 when the piston is elevated, as seen in Fig. 1 so that the simultaneously. lthough I have shown these air inlet ports 11 and 12 on both sides .of'the piston and cylinder, such construction is not'essential. The cylinder is alsopro- -vided with outlet ports 13 which lead tothe 15 also communicating with the transfer chamber 14, and the piston 1 provided with outlet ports 16 situated to register with the outlet ports 13 at the end of the power stroke. I

Situated in front of the ports 12 are deflectors 17 which serve to deflect the air as per part of the piston, and as a result when the charges ture have been drawn into the cylinder, the air will be situated at the upper part of the piston,- while the explosive mixture drawn inafter described. The cylinder is provided orts 8 and 11 are opened .transfe'r chamber 14 and with, other ports.

rom the carburetor-will be located in the tion is not limited to a two-cylinder engine,

it enters the cylinder upwardly to the upof air and. of explosive m1x'- cylinder and the cylinder 21 arearran'gedat; right angles to each other. with t-heirgpi'stons' ed to the-same ClftllllLglb urthcr 'structed that the explosive charge is first drawn i'nto'the crank case when the piston is at the upper end of the stroke and then is transferred to the working endfof the cylinder when the piston is at the end of the power stroke. It isdifl'icult, however, with the engines as usually made tohandle a sutliciently large volume of explosive charge at each stroke to make a good explosive mixture in the working end of the power cylinder at the time ofignition. aimed to overcome this dilticulty by providing means for increasing the volume of the crank case-at the time when the explosive charge 'is drawn into it whereby a larger charge may be thus drawn into the crank case, and I also propose to reduce or decrease the. volume 'of the crank case when the piston is at the end of the power stroke thereby to assist the transfer of the charge to the working end of the cylinder, and to accomplish this transfer without unduly con'ipressing the charge in the crank case.

In the present embodiment of my invention the crank case has connected therewith a chamber 21 in the form of a cylinder within which operates a displacer piston This piston may be operated in any suitable way, but for the sake of convenience l have shown it as connected to the crank 23 on the crank be at the inner end of its stroke and that while the power piston remains substantially stationary at the outer end of lts'strokc with theair inlet ports 11, 12 open andthe inlet ports 8 also open, the displacer piston has its maximum backward ,movement, thereby materially increasing-the volume of the crank case, this beingdtudtothe fact that the power lhbe seen that whilc-the'zpowell ncnt. the displacer pistonzj-l ias little movement, and when )ll has reied thejcnd-of its 1s passilr I ton 22 has, ls maxnnuin un -ard-movement, as showir from l'nll -to dotted lines Fig. '0.

. The volume of thecrzm-k case 1s, therefore,

'65 is at the upper end of its stroke and'whenniaterially-increascdfwhen the power piston l have piston i descendingand having its-mantr- .deatl center-"tire .displacer. pis-v closed? and after the. so

, will, of coursepmingle with "charge admitted. 2'- y I Wherea double-cylinder engine is used I ports 11, 12 and 8 to the crank case are open a charge of air and a charge of explosive mixture from the carbureter will be drawn into the crank case beneath the piston both by the suction caused by the outward movement of the piston, as usual, and also by added suction caused by the outward move ment of the displacer piston. In an ordinary two-cycle engine, the suction created in the crank case by the outward movement of.

the power piston alone is relied upon to draw the explosive charge into the crank case, and this is usually not sufiicient to permit a proper volume of explosive charge to be handled.

With my invention by increasing the vol ume of the crank case when the inlet ports thereto are open, a larger volume of air and gas is drawn into the crank case than is ossible with the old construction, and furt er- 'more by the inward movement of displacer piston 22 when the Jower piston is at the end of its power stroke, as shown in Fig. 6, this larger volume may be transferred to the work-ingend of the cylinder without increasing to any extent the pressure to which the charge in the crank case is subjected during the power stroke of' the piston. As stated above, it will-be noted that the air which is drawn through the ports 11 and 12 will bedeflectedby the deflector 17 to the upper part of the piston; 'lheziesult of thisima construction is that when the power piston has reached the outer limit of its'stroke and the-air and gas inlet ports are open tothe crank case, the air which is drawn inwardly througlrthe ports 11, 12 is deflected by the deflector 17; to the-.11 per part of' the piston, while the explosive 0 large drawn in through the ports 8 remains at the lower part of the cylinder and within the crankcase. Vhen;

cits power, strokeomeia in register ansferchams the piston has completed and the ports-116 therei with the ports-leadingbcr 14, the air which as,1n-t

4 lerpartof the pistoI1'i fi t t f p -,m cylmder and subsequently theexplesiye; ehargeis transferred. The result of'thrsisthat the charge-of air wliiohiis drawn qnthrough theports 11 and isused'to sc' venge the cylai inder and therefore-no.gas is toper r h s Op a n-1A in the, ylinder after th f v oiaeration explosive;

may if desired connect the crank cases of both cylinders to the same. compensating cylinder 21, one crank case communicating with one end of the cylinder and the other crank case with the other end thereof. In this case, the cranks of the two power pistons would be arranged 180 apart and the movement of the compensating piston 22 would acconnnodate both of .the main cylin' ders. As shown in Fig. 3, the outer end of the compensating cylinder 21 is connected by a duct or by-pass 29 with the crank case of the other power cylinder. and in this way one compensatin cylinder will answer for two power cylin ers.

\Vhere two cylinders are used side by side,

as shown in the drawlngs, I propose to sep- I therein. of a crank case having a variable arate the crank case chambers of the two cylinders by means of a suitable partition 49, 5

through which the crank shaft passes.

18 designates the usual sparking plugs by means of which'the charge is ignited at the proper time.

I have shown the cylinder as provided with the jacket 30 which communicates with a chamber 31 above the engine and adapted to receive water.

32 is a down-take which comnmnicates with the lower end of the chamber and terminutes in a plurality of distributing pipes 34 within the jacket.

is an tip-take communicating with the jacket and. with the delivery-pipe 36.

The 'ater from the chamber passesdown through the down-take 32 into the jacket and up through the lip-take 35 to the dc?- livery-pipe 36. and in this way suliiciently rapid circulation of water may be estab lished to keep the cylinder cool. Any other suitableway of cooling the cylinder may be employed. however, without departing from my invention.

The particular manner herein described of varying the volume of the crank case chamber at the proper time is not essential to my invention and the construction may, therefore, be varied in many matters of detail without departing from the invention described in the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is V 1. In a two-cycle internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder having an air'inlet port for the admission of air and a separate inlet port for an explosive charge situated below the air inlet port, of a piston in the cylinder which by its movement opens said ports simultaneously to adnnt both air and an explosive charge to the cylinder below the piston, said cylinder having another port and the piston also having a portavlnch registers with said other port when the piston it the end of its power stroke whereby first the air and then the explosive charge are transferred to the working end of the cylinder.

2. In a twocycle internal combustion engine, the combination witha cylinder having separate ports for the admission of air and an explosive charge, of a piston in the cylinder which by its movement opens said ports simultaneously to admit both air and an explosive charge to the cylinder below the piston. a deflector to deflect the air into a separate part of the cylinder from that in which the explosive charge is admitted. and means to transfer first the air and then the. explosive charge to the working end of the cylinder at the end of the power stroke.

3. In an internal combustion engine. the combination with a cylinder and piston Yfllllll lt connected to one end of the cylinder. means to admit an explosive charge to the c 'ank case while the piston is at one end of its'stroke, and other means to increase materially the. volmne or said crank case while the charge is being admitted thereto.

4. In an internal combustion engine. the combination with a cylinder and a piston therein. of a crank case communicating with the cylinder. an ex )ansibIe and contractible chamber communicating with said crank case, said cylinder having a port to admit an explosive charge to the crank case, which port is positioned to be opened by the piston when the latter is at the end of its return stroke. and means to increase the volume of said chamber during the entire time that the inlet port is uncover-ml.

In an internal combustion engine. the combination with a cylinder and a piston therein, of a crank case connected with the cylinder. said cylinder having an inlet port leading to the crank case 'to admit an cxplosive charge thereto which inlet port is controlled by the piston. and means other than the piston to produce a suction in the i crank case while the inlet port is uncovered by thepiston whereby an explosive charge is drawn into the crank case chamber.

(1. In an internal combustion engine. the combination with a cylinder and a piston therein. of a crank case having a variable volulne.connected to one end of the cylinder, means to admit an explosive charge to the crank case. and ineans other than the piston to increase the volume of the crank case while the piston is completing its return stroke and is connnem-ing its power stroke.

7. ln an internal combustion engine. thecombination with a. cylinder and a piston therein, of a crank case having a variable volume connected to one end ot the cylinder. said cylinder having an inlet port; to admit an explosive charge to the crank case which inlet port is uncovered by the piston when the latter is at the end of its outward stroke,

too

40' lncnt at it period of time whcnthe 55 end of the cylinder.

and means other than the piston to increase the volume of the crank case during the entire time when said inlet port 18 opened.

8. In a two-cycle combustion engine, the,

5 combination with a cylinder and a piston therein, of a crank case connected to the cylinder, means to admit air and an explosive charge separately to the crank case, means separate from the piston to increase the volume of the crank case chamber when said air and explosivecharge are being admitted thereto, and means to transfer said air and explosive charge to the cylinder at the end of the power stroke.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination. with cylinder and a power piston therein, of a crank case chamber communicating with one end of the cylinder, means to adjust an explosive charge to the crank case chamber, a transfer chamber by which the charge can be transferred from the crankcase chamber to the working end of the power cylinder, an auxiliary cylinder comn'nmicating with the crank case chamher, an auxiliary piston within the auxiliary cylinder, and means actuated by the power piston to give the auxiliary piston its maxinnnn movement in each direction at a period of time different from that in which the power piston has its maximum movement.

10. In an internal. combustion engine, the combination 'with a power cylinder and a power piston therein. of a crank case conncctcd to one end of said cylinder, means to admit an explosive charge to the crank case, an auxiliary cylinder connected to the crank case, a displacerpiston therein, and means actuated by the power piston for giving the auxiliary piston its maximum movepower piston has its minimum movement.

11; In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a. power cylinder and a powcr piston thcrcin,'of a crank case having 45, conunnnication with the working end of the finlindcr, an auxiliarycylinder conunnnicatmg with the crank case, and a' displaces iiston in said auxiliar c *linder means to 7 admit an explosive charge to the crank case and means to more the displaccr piston forward while the power piston-sis completing its powcr stroke and beginning its returrr stroke, thereby to transfer the explosive charge from the crank case to the working 12. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with two power cylinders, of a power piston in each cylinder, a closedcrank case connected with each cylinder, means to admit an explosive charge to each crank case, an auxiliary cylinder communi' cating with both crank cases, and a piston therein operated by one of the power pis tons.

13. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with a power cylinder and a power piston therein, of a closed crank case connected to said cylinder, means to admit an explosive charge to the crank case, said cylinder having a transfer passage to permit the charge to be transferred to the working end thereof, an auxiliary cylinder communicating with said crank case, a displacer piston in said auxiliary cylinder, and means connecting said displacer piston and the power piston so that one has its maximum movement while the other is approaching the end of its stroke and beginning its return stroke.

let-.- J11 an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a power cylinder and a power piston therein, of a closed crank case connected to said cylinder, an auxiliary cylinder communicating with the crankcase, a displacer piston in said auxiliary cylinder, said power cylinder having a port leading to the crank case chamber for the admission of an explosive charge anda transfer passage connecting the crank case chamber with the working end of said power cylinder, said displaccr piston and power piston being connected so that one has its maximum movement while the other is approaching the end of its stroke and beginning its movement in the-opposite direction.

15. In an intemal combustion engine, the combination witha power cylinder and a ,power piston therein, of a closed crank case connected to said cylinder, an auxiliary cylinder communicating with the crankcase and arranged at right angles to the power cylinder, at displaeer piston in said auxiliary cylinder, and a crank shaftto which both pistons are connected, said power cylinder having to' the c -ank case chamber, and a transfer port to admit an explosive charge passage to permit said charge to be trans fcrred from said chamber to the working end of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed'my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' GEORGE JOHN ALTHAM. Witnesses Louis C. SMITH, Bnn'rrm F. Hansen.

Corrctien iri Letters Patent No. 962,110.

It is hereh;- certified that in Letters Patent No. 962,110, granted June 21, 1910,

upon the application of George John Altham, of Fall River, Massaehusettsi for an im rovement in Internal-Combustion Err ines an error a nears in the )rinted specification requiring correction as follows: Page 4, line 19. the word adjust should read admit; and that the said Letters Patent .shouid he read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Olfice Signed and sealed this 19th day of July, A. 1).. 1910.

[shun] F. A. TEN N AN '1, 

